Quit Blaming the PG Rating

The most common comparisons you see in today’s WWE, is that of the Current (Reality) ERA and the Attitude ERA. Now first and foremost, let me go ahead and clear this up. Was the Attitude ERA better? Duh, give me a hell yeah! Does that have anything to do with the Rating? Absolutely not. If you think the reason the WWE is lacking in excitement these days is due to the PG Rating, I’d beckon you to open your mind a little bit more. Let me go ahead and present you with the limitations the WWE was given upon receiving their PG Rating:

Language – While still able to use certain curse words, some are banned and the curse words allowed are to be used less frequently. Excessive gestures such as Austin flipping off the crowd or his opponent aren’t allowed.

Sexual Content – Sexual content is limited in that there can be no seriously excessive sexual encounters. The days of suggestive sexual situations between Vince and the Diva’s are gone.  But then again, was that stuff ever interesting in the first place?

And there you go folks…that’s it. Those two things are the only two things that have been restricted when WWE decided to take the PG route. So what are some of the complaints that have come alongside the PG-Rating?

No More Blood

Lack of Attitude

Weak Mid-Card

No Tag-Team Division

And while I agree that the loss of all of those things really does suck. None of those things has anything to do with the show going PG.  PG doesn’t restrict blood or attitude and it most definitely doesn’t suggest you should kill your mid-card and tag team divisions. The reason for the problems in the current WWE is the result of poor writing, booking, creativity and talent.

It’s time to face the music people, the WWE Writers just aren’t that good. They lack the creativity, originality and the drive to put together a worthwhile story. Let’s not be so foolish as to believe that sub-par writing is the result of a lowered rating. If we do that, we prove that our IQ is really as low as these writers must think they are. Realistically, any of those amazing storylines (including the invasion) that we saw back during the attitude ERA could be done successfully on a PG show. Any of those Superstars we loved back in the Attitude ERA, could easily have been created on a PG show. Any of those amazing matches we saw during the Attitude ERA could be done on a PG show.

I think the failures of the writers became proven when the greatest story the WWE has had recently, was created by one of their Superstars (CM Punk).  The fact that they’re unable to capture the attention of the WWE Universe is unacceptable given that their job is for nothing more than to do just that.  But I’ll give them credit, somewhere along the way they were able to hide and take cover underneath the confines of a television rating. The PG rating has become the official scapegoat of the WWE. Here are things that the WWE needs to address if they want to bring the product back to its former glory:

1.)    New Writing Staff

2.)    Better Talent Evaluation

3.)    Devotion to Storylines

4.)    More Creative Freedom for Superstars/Divas

And last, but certainly not least:

5.)    An understanding that your fans aren’t stupid.

I understand that your patience is wearing thin with the WWE. I understand that you need something to blame for all of the problems the current product has. But if we’re going to pass blame, let’s pass it where it deserves to be. The PG rating is just that, a mere rating. It isn’t to blame for the weaknesses and missteps. If we refuse to hold those hurting the product responsible, how we can expect anything to change?

Thanks for reading. Please share your opinions and thoughts as to how the WWE could better the product in the comments section below!